Last night I taped my bedroom doorway with a piece of thin masking tape, so I'd walk through it this morning and it would remind me today is the start of my 30 day water fast (I'm a creature of habit and would have gone right to the fridge for a glass of diet 7-Up or Cystal Light otherwise, LOL )

My doctor (Hindu, thinks fasting is as normal as breathing) is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology. He has given me the OK for 21 days, but I'll see if I'm "finished" then, otherwise I'll go for 30.

Hi all,
My name is Jennifer. I am 32 years old and I have been avidly reading all the fasting posts and believe I am ready to attempt this. I did a one day fast a week ago just to see if I could and was amazed I actually used some willpower for once.
My reasons are similar to MsAckworth in that I just need to get myself under control with the added benefit of detox. I do lowcarb really well for a week or two and then just lose it all together with carb binges. I think I just need to teach myself that food does not rule my life.
I haven't told my husband. I plan on just telling him I am skipping dinner this week but I know it is going to be an issue come the weekend but hopefully I will be in deep ketosis and better able to deal with his reaction. I kind of flew the idea past him a couple weeks ago and he pretty much flipped out. So, needless to say I do not have too much support at home. Hopefully I will get what I need here.
I plan on just taking one day at a time I would love to do the full 30 days. Right now I wonder if I have the strength in me to do that but we shall see. I have plenty of extra energy sources for sure to last well over 30 days. I plan on using deodorant and will probably put some lemon in my water occasionally. I am enthusiastic to get to know all of you and look forward to sharing our experiences. I am not much of a poster as you can see but I think fasting is such an emotional experience journaling can only help. I also will post my weight loss. Today I started at 216.8 pounds.
Good luck to everyone will check in later.
Jennifer
Day 1 ..... 216.8 pounds

Seriously, I'm such a creature of habit, LOL! As I was typing on the Detox Challenge thread, I was thinking of what to take to work for lunch -- duh!!! That's OK, my fridge is barren (my son is with his dad this week, so no need for food ), I tossed everything yesterday.

You have a sore throat? Good! You can be our guinea pig for 'body repair' while fasting (ha! while detoxing, what a hoot!)

Nicurn, welcome! Your husband means well, people flip out with the thought of no food (and he's a guy ... )

Fasting will definitely give you greater control over food. If you're doing a water fast, you'll detox more quickly and there's a lot of emotional stuff that goes on as "junk" gets into your system. Part of that is an evaluation of food. It sounds weird, you'll see when it happens.

Glad you've joined us! Feel free to ask any questions, post anything you're feeling body/mind wise. We're here to support you, and you'll be amazed at the weight loss as well!

Hi Everyone, I have been thinking all morning if I should fast or not. I think I am ready. I would really like to try it for a week. Will try to go longer. Kids start school next Tuesday. Will be much easier. Once school starts we all eat at different times. I can just say I already ate. I have 16 year old dd. I don't want her to think fasting is all about weight loss. Hope everyone has a great fasting day.

Handicapped, see you on Wednesday! Out of town family would definitely think fasting is 'weird', LOL!

Rolleen, I hear ya! You don't want to influence your DD in that way (being 16 is hard enough as it is!) Don't push yourself beyond whichever day feels comfortable, but keep in mind you'll feel crappy for 4-5 days (same as Induction on Atkins), it would be nice if you got to a "good" feeling point, LOL!

I'm off to work now, it's gonna be 107 today! Did I mention I really DO NOT like the heat?

Also, will be drinking my first glass of water in over 3 years in a few minutes. I bought the gallon Brita system. I was going to get the 5 gallon one, but it would be too heavy with the water to lug back and forth to the faucet to refill. What a whiner!

Ok, Day 1. I prepared yesterday by cleaning house and giving my bathroom a good scrubbing to prepare for a few relaxing bubblebaths. My husband thinks I'm crazy but is very supportive. He asked me how my breakfast was this morning (bottle of water #1)

I'm alone in the office most of this week, so there should be no stress here, and none at home so I'm off to a good start. I am still taking my Aldactone (for PCOS hirsutism), but stopped taking/using my daily Aciphex, Vaniqua, bcp and assorted supplements. I'm anxious to see what happens. I know I've been over on my carbs lately, and I've allowed too many 'legal' treats. After the fast, I plan to KISS for awhile. My goal is 30 days, but I'm taking it one day at a time. I started LCing at 273, 13 months ago, this morning I am at 225.

Just want to know how Kimmer is feeling after the glass of water?Welcome Divinity, Allison, Rolleen and handicapped. Glad to say I have made it my first 12 hours without food. Woot! Just checkin in to see who else has decided to torture themself hehe. Anyway time to take my 3 year old to preschool. Bye for now

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't checked in. I'll post this on the other thread too in case anyone who wondered can't find us. As most of you know from the other thread, I did a fast two weeks ago for 4 and a half days. Someone asked if I had gained gained back the weight when I broke my fast. I lost about 10 pounds during those four days and gained back about 2 when I broke the fast. I have maintained that 8 pound loss for about two weeks. After that fast, I decided to incorporate one 36 hour fast per week into my lifestyle. I chose Sunday evenings thru Tuesday mornings as my fasting day(s). I am fasting today (my second sun-tues 36 hour fast) about 16 hours in and so far so good. A little hungry but not too bad. I am convinced after you do the first fast, the next ones are easier because you kind of know what to expect to some degree and have already proven to yourself that you CAN live without food for a while. I look forward to reading about your fasts, but I will not be able to join you all for the 30 days. I am in a wedding on Saturday 8/23 and am leary of being in detox for my best friends special day. Plus, I want to be able to have a drink or two and make merry. Although, depending how I feel I may extend my Monday fast an extra day or two (only because I liked days 2-3 the best last time!). I will see how it goes with this (and every Monday fast, really.) If it feels good to me to continue it, it is not written in stone that I have to end my fasts on Tuesday. The good thing about fasting is that it is a personal choice and you can choose what feels best or right for you at the time. Next Monday, after the wedding, I will be fasting again and depending on how moticated I am by all of your posts maybe I will jump on board longer term then. Good luck to you all!

Couple words of advice. When you do break you fast, break it slowly. I know we have all said this before, but there are 2 very good reasons to introduce food back slowly. One, if you just start shoveling crap into your mouth, you will in all likelihood get sick to your stomach. Even if not, why junk up your newly clean body with garbage so quickly? Be gentle. Second, if weight loss is your goal, and frankly, even if not, no one wants to gain back what they lost when they break their fast. If you introduce food back slowly and stay very locarb you CAN keep the majority of the weight you lost off long term. Not only that, butif you excercise control coming off the fast, you can build on and fine tune that control over food for a lifetime. One you just start eating uncontrollably and in large amounts your stomach will get used to that again. You will physically and mentally get back into the place where you have less control and "need" to eat more. Instead, maximize and tend to this newly sprouting seed of control you have sown during your fast by excercising control and discipline. I may sound nutty but I believe you can completely change your relationship with food through a combination of fasting and lo carb.

Hey everyone! This is technically day two for me. Sundays are lounge around the house days so I figured I would start yesterday and when I felt the urge to eat I would either take a nap or find something else to do because if I can do one day of a fast I can do several. So far all I've had it water and water. I'm doing pretty good. My tongue is almost completely white and I'm paranoid about my breath. I've been brushing my teeth a lot. Just think one day down and 29 more to go! :-) Glad to see such a supportive bunch!

Okay, I am hungry now and have a bit of a headache (which i seem to get at the end of day one during all three of my fasts so far!) I HATE that part. Can't wait til it goes away. Other than that, feel good and am on my way to go play tennis.

HIYA EVERYONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
So sorry for the late post......
First day of school, for my boys, busy, busy, dayyyyy....
Everything is gong GREAT so far today..
No headaches, not hungrey, and I even went to the grocery store with my husband to buy groceries

It's 2:00 and my stomach is actually rumbling. Wierd. I often don't eat until 2 or 3, but now because I've decided NOT to - I'm hungry!!!

Lesson #1 - Psychological hunger vs. Biological hunger.

And of course my boss asked me to go out to lunch today. I ducked it. I'm only telling my husband, whom I've already had to reassure that I'm fine.

14 hours so far....

Yes, Kimmer - who's brilliant idea was this?!? [/COLOR]

Island, what is it with the hunger? Me too! I was thinking about it earlier because I do my weekend fasts without any problem whatsoever. The only thing different is I have tea and broth on those weekends and now it's ... water. Yep, it's the whole water situation.

I don't have a headache yet, that will probably be tomorrow. What really surprises me is that my tongue is so coated. I thought I eat pretty clean, no processed stuff, rarely fast food -- just goes to figure!

I'm a dab cranky at work because I want a diet soda! I'm OK without the food, but it's the diet soda withdrawal I'm having problems with. OK, whining is over for now. I also have to attend a Board meeting tonight where they're serving lasagne. Could I have planned this any worse, LOL?

Note to Ketosis -- You can hit anytime you like, I'll buy you a new car if my appetite is gone by tomorrow.

I'm exercising during the fast. I work out for 20 - 30 minutes in the morning either doing richard simons 20 minute tone or a WATP video. I go to the gym after work for about 20-30 minutes. Depends on how stressful my day was. I've got a serious headache right now and i'm starting to have my legs breakout how weird that its doing that on the first two days I always have smooth looking legs. But then again I haven't been very nice to my body and the toxins are trying to get out. Chat more later.. :-)

It's about 7:45 PM here. So far so good. I was thinking the exact same thing ("who's idea was this?!?!") when I was cooking my husband a double cheeseburger on an OsoLo roll and a batch of Atkins brownie mix. But I wasn't physically hungry, it just smelled so good!

My stomach rumbled a little at about 3:00, but I chugged a gallon of water between 8 AM and 5 PM, so that stopped. I'm getting ready to take a walk, then come home to take a nice bubble bath and get in my comfy marshmallow-like bed to watch my Monday night TV shows.